Two-Dimensional Graphene Bridges Enhanced Photoinduced Charge Transport in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

As a novel two-dimensional (2D) material, graphene shows great benefits in electric and material science. Compared to 1D nanomaterials, it may show more excellent properties. Here, we introduced graphene as 2D bridges into the nanocrystalline electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells, which brought a faster electron transport and a lower recombination, together with a higher light scattering. On the basis of these advantages, the short-circuit current density was increased by 45% without sacrificing the open-circuit voltage, and the total conversion efficiency was 6.97%, which was increased by 39%, comparing with the nanocrystalline titanium dioxide photoanode, and it was also much better than the 1D nanomaterial composite electrode.

Self‐Assembled Graphene‐Based Architectures and Their Applications

“…The AuCN nanowires could align themselves along the zigzag lattice direction of graphene, which originated from the interaction with the gold atom and the lattice match suggested by the first‐principles calculations. Dangling bonds of damaged graphene,132, 133 vapor‐phase deposition at high temperature,134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148 and intermediate seed materials132, 148, 149, 150 have been used to produce the hybrid of pristine graphene/inorganic nanostructure; however, the formed inorganic nanostructures were randomly oriented or poorly aligned on pristine graphene. This work paves a new way for precisely assembling inorganic nanomaterials on pristine graphene 93, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139…”

“…The enhanced device performance is attributable to a much flatter transmittance curve of the graphene films in the whole spectrum relative to metallic films. Moreover, the high transmittance, along with high conductivity and adjustable work function, makes graphene an appealing choice for uses in transparent conductors,148, 149 photosensitizers,150 and channels for charge transport151 in solar cell applications. In addition, self‐assembled CMG structures could function as electron acceptors or hole‐extraction layers (HEL) for use in polymer solar cells (PSCs).…”

Carbonaceous Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Photoelectrodes

“…Since then, graphene has become known the world‐over as an advanced material and is quickly moving from the research laboratories to the industrial applications 118. The exceptional properties of this material have pioneered recent explorations to apply graphene structures in the photoelectrode of DSSCs 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131. It can be clearly seen from Table 2 that the improved efficiencies of DSSCs with graphene materials incorporated TiO 2 photoelectrode films vary from 1.68% to 8.13%.…”

“…Data points are adopted from refs. 85, 87, 91, 94, 100, 101, 103, 104, 107, 108, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127.…”

The Preparation of Alumina Particles Wrapped in Few-layer Graphene Sheets and Their Application to Dye-sensitized Solar Cells

“…19,20 It has recently been reported that the graphene in the mesoporous TiO 2 electrodes benefits the charge separation and reduces the recombination rate, because it is a zero band gap material with electrons acting massless relativistic particles, so it provides an excellent electrical pathway. 21,22 Experimental Section Preparation of Alumina Particles Wrapped in Graphene Sheets. The AlN powders were prepared by calcining a (hydroxo)(succinato)Al(III) complex at 1300 o C for 5 h under a flow of nitrogen.…”